Susan Boyle – C'mon people, get real
Yes, Susan Boyle of Britain’s Got Talent fame had an amazing performance, she’s an overnight sensation, everyone loves her… I’m seeing many articles rambling on about how rudely she was treated prior to her audition, about not judging a book by its cover, about prejudice and hatred, ad nauseum. C’mon people, give it a rest. I too loved this woman’s performance, her victory, and I wish the best for her. From what I’ve read about her history, hey it’s her turn and I hope she enjoys it.
But regarding all the deeper meaning many are writing about, eh it’s a bunch of hooey. I too would be appalled if people were this rude and dismissive to someone like Susan, say… if they met on the street or elsewhere causally or professionally. That would be unacceptable. However, this is Television. It’s all part of the show.
Not all of the auditions make it into the show. The judges and audience sit through hours and hours of auditions, it can be grueling I’m sure. Only the best and best of the worst make it on. I watched the whole show and after the seemingly endless parade of loser acts that the judges and the audience must endure, their reactions to just another apparent unlikely candidate such as Susan, who by the way acted very oddly, is to say the least, understandable. Their upturned eyebrows and rolled eyes too are part of the show. That’s why people watch; we humans love a good train wreck.
Everyone has seen these shows like Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, Idol, and others and the contestants know very well the ridicule they are subjecting themselves to. Many of them know they have no talent and just want to get on TV and make a fool of themselves.
Susan was genuinely quirky and the remarkable thing, her victory in all this, is that she overcame all that and her nervousness; she dove in leaving herself wide open for abuse, she belted it out not missing a beat, and she blind sided them. THAT’s why we love her. That’s why we teared up when we saw it; because as ashamed as we might be to admit it, we all rolled our eyes a little too at the beginning.
The simple, and perhaps sad truth is, if the judges and audience had not behaved the way they had before the performance, the outcome would not have been nearly as sweet. I just hope she’s not a one hit wonder and cane come through on her next performance, for her sake.
I did just heard that a recording she did for a charity album 10 years ago just surfaced. I’m not sure if this rendition of Cry Me a River is real, but have a listen and judge for yourself. If it is real, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.
Following is the Britain’s Got Talent performance that started all this:
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Cheers,
Maggie Williams
